Author: John Green
Release Date: March 3, 2005
Pages: 221 (PB)
Publisher: Speak/Penguin
Most Appropriate For Ages: 14+
Where I Got It: Bought
Before. Miles “Pudge” Halter’s whole life has been one big non-event. Then he heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into a new life, and steals his heart.
After. Nothing is ever the same.
I was in a tiny bit of a reading funk, it seemed, and I needed a book that I
loved. That grabbed my attention utterly and completely. That made me fall hard for it's characters. That made me want to savor each fantastic word.
So when the time came to choose my next book to read, instead of going to my review pile, I went to my giant library. I picked up five books. Looking For Alaska was one of them. In all honesty, I have no idea what made me decide to choose this one out of those five. It wasn't necessarily my normal read, and I'd heard probably as many negative reviews about it as I had positive ones, and my friend had said something about not liking John Green's writing style at all.
But I am so incredibly glad that I chose Looking For Alaska, because this book was, is, and always will be, everything I needed that day. And everyday.
I know this is probably the most unconventional (and gushy) review I've ever written, but I really don't feel like telling you how hilarious this book was and much I
loved the characters and the writing and how this book kept me up late into the night reading. Because, even though that's all true, I've said this all before, and Looking For Alaska deserves better than that.
No, instead I will tell you how I just can't bear to put this book on my favorites shelf in my bedroom. It will go there soon, but I can find it in myself to be in a different room than it is yet. It's odd, but I'm not comfortable with putting that much distance between us. In fact, I'm hesitant to start another book simply because I don't want another story to wash away one single detail of Looking For Alaska. In fact, instead of reading tonight, I'll probably just skim through the novel to find some of my favorite quotes.
This book made it high onto my favorites list (in case you couldn't tell from my almost-creepily-obsessed "review"), and I have a feeling it will be one that stay there for a long, long time. I cannot wait to dive into John Green's other books, but I might be more excited by the idea of re-reading this one.
I completely, totally, entirely, freaking LOVED Looking For Alaska.
Book Report:
Plot: I couldn't stop reading.
Characters: So. Freaking. Real.
Writing: Faaaantastic. John Green is already one of my favorite authors.
Ending: Incredibly satisfying.
Kid friendly? There's one mildly explicit oral sex scene (which is definitely not the only mention of sex, there's also a scene that two characters watch porn), as well as lots of language, teen drinking and smoking.
Should I read it? Ab.so.lutely.
Overall:
Then, this Wednesday I finished re-reading Jellicoe Road and found that I loved it even more than the first time I read it. The initial confusion I had the first time I read it was gone and I focused more on Taylor's character and JONAH GRIGGS because I had forgotten how delicious he is. I had forgotten how much I loved the book, really.
